Use of Multimedia in the classroom

As we move forward with the types of technology available, the types of technology that can be used in a classroom setting also progresses. Multimedia is becoming a larger and larger part of education. Teachers can utilize multimedia through a number of different types including podcasts, videos, and live streaming. All of these can be fantastic learning tools especially to someone like me in the science field.

One of the most useful multimedia tools is podcasts. A podcast is like a radio show that can be uploaded and then listened to by any interested parties. What makes a podcast so great is that they are cheap and easy to make. This would be a great tool to use, especially for auditory learners, to review concepts you’ve covered in class. It would also allow students to use it at a later date like when they are preparing for a test. Or maybe a student was in your class and didn’t quite grasp the concept you were going over. making a podcast would allow them to go home and review it until they finally did understand.

Video casts are another useful multimedia tool that may be a little more expensive than podcasts, but are just as effective if not more effective. This is already in heavy use by organizations like Khan Academy who use videos to demonstrate different concepts across a wide rage of subjects. These may be the most informative tools out there because not only do you hear how something is done, but you get a full on visualization of what is actually going on. Say I was giving a lecture about mitosis. Hearing about it is a good thing but if you are not too keene on the subject it can get very confusing which is where a video comes in handy. With a video you could easily make connections between the process and the parts involved.

There does need to be some communication with the parents that videos and podcasts are being used inside the classroom. You do want parents to know that these are being downloaded by the kids and just what they contain. It would be good to inform parents that podcasts and videos are available for them to download also. This way they know that everything in the media is good, and it may have the added benefit of parents being able to help their kids further understand if they can pick it up and the child is still having trouble.